How Liverpool overcame the 4-5-1 pressing of Chelsea

After a successful first leg in the Champions League quarter-final, Liverpool had the next big challenge at home. In the race for the Premier League, Jürgen Klopp’s team faced Chelsea. Maurizio Sarri’s team are slowly getting used to the playing style of the Italian coach and have put in good performances in recent weeks.

In particular, players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi have been useful additions to the starting XI. They make Chelsea a more dangerous yet better-balanced team than before. Both players were also part of the starting lineup which Sarri used in his usual 4-3-3 against Liverpool.

Along with the two English national team players, Chelsea started with Kepa in goal. The back four included César Aziplicueta, Antonio Rüdiger, David Luiz and Emerson. As always, the position of the defensive midfielder was occupied by Jorginho, as the key player in Sarri’s system. He also seems to benefit from the addition of Loftus-Cheek. Along with N’Golo Kanté they have two dynamic players who play alongside the slow yet gifted Italian midfielder.

Against the strong Liverpool attack and the fact that Chelsea were playing at Anfield, Sarri decided to go for a lineup with fast players. They were tasked with attacking the spaces behind Liverpool’s backline. As a consequence, Willian on the right, Hudson-Odoi on the left and Eden Hazard in the centre seemed to be a reasonable choice.